What is Mediation?
Mediation is a voluntary and confidential process in which one or two neutral mediator(s) help two or more people find win-win solutions to their conflict. The process is implemented by volunteers who are professionally trained and are recruited to represent the diversity of the neighborhood they serve. The community mediators guide the participants through a process that helps them to first identify their issues and then generate their own solutions.

What is a Mediator?
A mediator is a neutral third party who intervenes into an already existing process of negotiation in order to facilitate the joint decision making between two people who are becoming polarized and are colliding unproductively over differences in goals, methods, perceptions etc. The mediator makes no decision for the parties, has no authority to direct or control the action of the parties. (Keltner, 1987, p.11).

Mediation Process
1. Introduction-the mediator introduces him of herself and explains the rules. The mediator tries to make the parties feel comfortable.
2. Storytelling Stage- each party has a chance to tell his/her story completely.
3. Identifying Facts and Feelings-the mediator will ask questions to understand goals, content, identity, process, relational.
4. Problem-solving-the members try to come up with options that might help solve the problem.
5.Agreement-participants agree upon fair and achievable solutions.